Dehumidifiers are used for a variety of reasons, including comfort, to eliminate odors, or to prevent the growth of mildew. Large applications include use of dehumidifiers for use with indoor swimming pools and ice rinks. The dehumidifier intakes air and removes the moisture by passing it through the evaporator where it is cooled and dehumidified. However, these systems simply contemplate the removal of humidity from the air so that it can be disposed of elsewhere, such as outside of the building. The water collected by standard dehumidifiers is a type of greywater, which is generally not acceptable for drinking or using on garden vegetables.
Another type of dehumidifier—which is food grade—is generally referred to as an atmospheric water generator. These machines are designed to avoid toxic metal contamination and are designed to generate potable water. These machines generally operate on similar principles: air is passed over a cooled coil, causing humidity to condense into droplets. The rate of water production depends on the ambient temperature, humidity, the volume of air passing over the coil, and the machine's capacity to cool the coil. In some water generators, a compressor circulates refrigerant through both a condenser and an evaporator coil, which cools the air surrounding it. This lowers the air temperature to its dew point, causing water to condense. Other technologies utilize wet desiccants such as lithium chloride, lithium bromide, or a brine solution to extract water from the air.
Another apparatus, commonly referred to as an “air washer,” introduces a spray or mist of water, or a wick filter, as air enters the unit. Because the sprayed water is below the dew point temperature, the humidity in the air condenses, generating water. These systems are typically used to help purify air and add humidity back into the air, hence the air “washer” name.
Due to the lack of accessible potable water in many areas of the world, there is a need for a more efficient means for generating water from the surrounding air. While several dehumidifiers, air washers, and water generators exist in the art, they fail to generate sufficient potable water. Accordingly, there is a need for an apparatus that can generate potable water in sufficient quantities from the atmosphere. The present invention seeks to solve these and other problems.